IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 487 

Recognizing the importance of cancer program accreditation in ensuring 

comprehensive, high quality, patient-centered cancer care. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 22, 2015 

Ms. JENKINS of Kansas (for herself and Mr. NEAL) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of cancer program accreditation 

in ensuring comprehensive, high quality, patient-centered 

cancer care. 

Whereas accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) is a voluntary commitment by a cancer program that ensures patients will 

have access to the full scope of services required to diagnose, treat, rehabilitate, and support patients with cancer 

and their families; 

Whereas the Commission on Cancer, established in 1922, is 

a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to 

improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients 

and their families; 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 487 IH 

Whereas accreditation allows cancer programs to continually 

evaluate performance and take proactive, corrective actions when necessary; 

Whereas continuous evaluation reaffirms the commitment of 

the program to provide high quality, patient-centered 

cancer care; 

Whereas accreditation is regarded as important in improving 

oncologic outcomes through compliance with standards 

that include continuous quality improvement; 

Whereas quality standards required for accreditation assure 

that patients receive comprehensive care with a multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best available treatment options; 

Whereas patients treated by accredited cancer programs receive information about ongoing cancer clinical trials and 

new treatment options, and access to a cancer registry 

that offers lifelong patient follow-up; 

Whereas accreditation promotes access to prevention and 

early detection programs, cancer education, and support 

services; 

Whereas patients treated in accredited programs have access 

to the full continuum of patient centered care including 

distress screening, patient navigation and delivery of survivorship care plans that detail treatments received and 

provides detailed information on future care needs; 

Whereas accreditation requires evaluation of the entire scope, 

organization, and activity of a cancer program by external peer review from specially trained surveyors who 

evaluate compliance with stringent standards designed to 

promote high quality care; 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 487 IH 

Whereas the quality reporting tools from the over 30,000,000 

cases reported to the Commission on Cancer’s National 

Cancer Data Base provide feedback needed to initiate 

quality improvement studies which ultimately lead to implementation of quality improvements in accredited programs; 

Whereas the Commission on Cancer uses data submitted to 

verify and improve quality of care in cancer programs 

and to further scientific research; and 

Whereas the approximately 1,500 CoC-accredited hospitals in 

the United States and Puerto Rico care for approximately 70 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients in 

the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog2 nizes the importance of accreditation by the American Col3 lege of Surgeons Commission on Cancer for the purpose 

4 of assuring patient access to high quality, comprehensive 

5 cancer care. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS